Tre Mason Should Be Top Fantasy Waiver-Wire Target in Week 8

Starting running backs are typically scarce in the fantasy football world, but a Week 7 full of injuries and depth chart musical chairs has created tantalizing opportunities for waiver-wire options Tre Mason, Bryce Brown, Anthony Dixon and Denard Robinson.

There's only one problem: Who do you pick?

Mason, Brown and Robinson all have the potential to be the second-half fantasy savior we see every year, but they also each carry legitimate concerns. Ultimately, you have to go with the player who gives you the best combination of talent, opportunity and secure workload.

That's Mason.

Let's start with the workload. On the surface, the situation in St. Louis is ugly at best. Zac Stacy and Benny Cunningham have been splitting touches all season, and Mason's emergence would seemingly only complicate things.

Instead, though, he has cleared things up. After tallying 40 yards on five carries in his first career game against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6, Mason grabbed a stranglehold on the starting job by gashing the previously stout Seattle Seahawks.

Take a look at how the "backfield by committee" played out:

Player	Snaps	Car	Yds	Rec	Yds	TD	Fan Points
Tre Mason	27	18	85	0	0	1	14.5
Benny Cunningham	19	2	3	5	46	1	10.9
Zac Stacy	1	0	0	0	0	0	0

Not much of a committee.

Mason, who caught a whopping 19 passes in three years at Auburn, will be replaced by Cunningham on most passing downs. As such, Brown and Robinson, who are more agile and speedy, come much closer in value in PPR leagues, even with Brown's undefined role and Robinson's mess of an offensive line.

Nevertheless, the bruising 5'8", 207-pound rookie is the clear between-the-tackles option. He's going to receive most of the early-down and red-zone carries, which typically correlate with fantasy success.

Moreover, while Austin Davis has been better than advertised, St. Louis found success last year pounding the ball with Stacy, and they did so again against Seattle. They are currently 21st in the NFL in rushing attempts per game (25.8), but don't be surprised if they seek better balance in the coming weeks.

Put it all together, and you're looking at about 15 touches per game—at least—for Mason, who has the talent to turn those into big numbers, as NFL.com's Albert Breer alluded to:

In just two games, Mason has shown tremendous vision and the quickness to explode through holes. He has also displayed the power and lower-body strength to break through initial contact.

Even with an unfavorable schedule, the stars are aligning for the talented rookie to cement himself as a solid RB2 for the rest of the season.